CBG (cannabigerol) and CBD (cannabidiol) are both non-intoxicating cannabinoids from hemp. The main differences are that CBG is made first in the plant, is usually present in much smaller amounts, and has been studied in far fewer people. The plant turns CBG's acid form, CBGA, into the acid forms of CBD, THC and CBC. In lab studies the two act on different receptors.
Key facts
- Origin
- CBGA is the precursor of CBDA, THCA and CBCA. Heat turns CBGA into CBG and CBDA into CBD.
- Amount in hemp
- CBG is usually under 1% of the plant's dry weight. CBD is the main cannabinoid in most hemp.
- Intoxicating?
- Neither. In a 2024 trial, 20 mg of CBG caused no subjective drug effects or impairment.
- Human research (as of October 2026)
- CBD: many clinical trials and one prescription medicine. CBG: a few small studies.
- In our oils (certificates of April 2026)
- Between 0.53% and 7.28% CBG in five oils, measured in Switzerland.
- EU status (as of October 2026)
- Both are listed as cosmetic ingredients in CosIng. As food ingredients, both are novel foods that have not been authorised.
What is the difference between CBG and CBD?
They come from the same plant and neither causes a high, but they differ in when the plant makes them, how much of each it makes, which receptors they act on, and how well they have been studied. The table puts the two side by side. For the definition of CBG on its own, see our guide what is CBG?
| Feature | CBG (cannabigerol) | CBD (cannabidiol) |
|---|---|---|
| Acid form in the plant | CBGA, the precursor of the other cannabinoid acids | CBDA, made from CBGA |
| Typical amount in hemp | Under 1% of dry weight, except in varieties bred for CBG | Usually the main cannabinoid |
| Intoxicating | No | No |
| Receptors (lab studies) | Binds CB1 and CB2; acts strongly at α2-adrenoceptors; blocks 5-HT1A | Changes how the CB1 receptor responds (negative allosteric modulator) |
| Human research | A few small studies, including one single-dose trial and one skin study | Many clinical trials; a prescription medicine for certain rare epilepsies |
| Liver | No human data; animal results are mixed | Can raise liver enzymes at high oral doses |
| Standard drug tests | Not tested for | Not tested for |
| EU cosmetics (CosIng) | Listed (skin conditioning) | Listed, both synthetic and derived from cannabis extract |
| EU food law | Novel food, not authorised | Novel food, not authorised |
Where do CBG and CBD come from?
Hemp makes cannabinoids in their acid form, and cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) comes first. Enzymes then turn CBGA into tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA). The enzyme that makes CBDA from CBGA is what makes fibre hemp a CBD-type plant (Taura et al., 2007). A review describes CBG as "the precursor molecule for the most abundant phytocannabinoids" (Nachnani et al., 2021).
Heat removes a carboxyl group from the acids: CBGA becomes CBG and CBDA becomes CBD. Our guide to CBDA explains this step.
How much CBG is in hemp compared with CBD?
Because the plant converts most of its CBGA as it grows, CBG is usually present at under 1% of dry weight (Perez et al., 2022), while CBD is the main cannabinoid in most hemp. Plants with the B0 genotype convert much less CBGA, so CBG becomes their main cannabinoid (Jastrząb et al., 2022; Zagožen et al., 2021). One CBG-dominant hemp cultivar contained 7.8% to 11.2% total CBG (Crawford et al., 2021). The same applies to cannabis bred for THC: CBG is usually a minor cannabinoid there too.
Does CBG get you high, or less high than CBD?
Neither gets you high. In a 2024 placebo-controlled trial, 34 healthy adults took a single 20 mg dose of hemp-derived CBG by mouth, and the researchers found "no evidence of subjective drug effects or impairment" (Cuttler et al., 2024). CBD is also non-intoxicating; see CBD vs THC. The cannabinoid that causes a high is THC, which is why a product's THC content matters more than its CBG content. Our guide to psychoactive cannabinoids covers the others.
How do CBG and CBD act in the body?
Most of what is known comes from cell and animal studies, which don't show what happens in people.
- CBG is non-psychotropic and binds both CB1 and CB2 receptors (Navarro et al., 2018). In mouse brain tissue it was a potent α2-adrenoceptor agonist and blocked 5-HT1A receptors (Cascio et al., 2010).
- CBD behaved as a negative allosteric modulator of the CB1 receptor in cell models (Laprairie et al., 2015). In simple terms, it changes how the receptor responds to other compounds rather than switching it on.
A review summarised CBG as having receptor "affinity and activity characteristics between Δ9-THC and CBD" (Nachnani et al., 2021). Whether that makes CBG "stronger" in any practical sense hasn't been tested in people. For background, see the endocannabinoid system.
What is CBG good for, compared with CBD?
CBD has been studied in many controlled clinical trials, and a purified CBD medicine is approved for certain rare forms of epilepsy; our guide what does CBD oil do? sums up how strong that evidence is. CBG has been studied far less. The human studies so far are small:
- Stress and mood: in the 2024 single-dose trial, anxiety and stress ratings were lower after CBG than after placebo (Cuttler et al., 2024). It was one dose, taken by mouth, in 34 people.
- Skin: in a 20-person study, a 0.1% CBG serum applied for two weeks after skin irritation did better than placebo on skin water loss and redness (Perez et al., 2022).
Other uses of CBG have so far been studied only in cells or animals, for example inflammation in a mouse model of colitis (Borrelli et al., 2013). The evidence for CBG is limited, and none of it shows that a CBG product treats a condition.
Is CBG hard on the liver?
There are no human data on CBG and the liver. In animals the results are mixed: in a mouse model of fatty liver disease, a low dose of CBG reduced markers of liver damage, while a high dose increased inflammation and fibrosis (summarised by Li et al., 2024). For CBD, trials at medicine doses show that it can raise liver enzymes in some people; our guide to CBD side effects has the figures. If you have a liver condition or take medication, ask your doctor before using cannabinoid products.
Can CBG help with pain?
CBG has been studied for pain only in animals so far. In mice with nerve pain caused by chemotherapy, CBG reversed sensitivity to touch through α2A-adrenoceptors (Wade et al., 2025). A 2024 review lists animal and lab findings on CBG and pain but no human trials (Li et al., 2024). Whether this applies to people is not known.
Will CBG show up on a drug test?
Standard workplace and roadside tests look for THC or its breakdown product THC-COOH, not for CBG or CBD. The risk comes from THC in a product: full-spectrum oils keep traces of the plant's natural THC, while THC-free oils should show none on their certificate. In our April 2026 certificates, the full-spectrum oils had 0.14% Δ9-THC and the THC-free oils had none detectable (table below). See CBD and drug tests for detection rules, and full spectrum vs broad spectrum vs isolate for the product types.
How much CBG is in our oils?
Five of our oils combine CBD with CBG. The table shows the label specification and what the latest batch certificates measured. The PDFs are on our test results page.
| Oil | Type | CBG on label | CBG measured | CBD measured | Δ9-THC measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lugano Clarity | THC-free | 7% | 7.28% | 10.47% | Not detected |
| St. Moritz Restore | Full spectrum | 4% | 4.29% | 25.13% | 0.14% |
| Lucerne Calm | THC-free | 3% | 3.19% | 20.50% | Not detected |
| Zermatt Balance | Full spectrum | 1.5% | 1.51% | 15.83% | 0.14% |
| Pet Routine for Dogs | THC-free, for dogs | 0.5% | 0.53% | 5.36% | Not detected |
Lugano Clarity has the highest share of CBG, about 0.7 parts CBG to 1 part CBD. Our oils for people are cosmetics for use on the skin, and the dog oil is for external use. To read the reports yourself, see how to read a certificate of analysis; for all our oils, see the CBD oil collection.
From our production
We test every batch in Switzerland, and we have never had a failed test since 2013. That is why the CBG figures above come from the batch certificates, not only from the label.
— Robin Roy Krigslund-Hansen, co-founder and CEO
Is CBG legal in the EU?
Neither CBG nor CBD is listed in the UN drug conventions. In the EU database of cosmetic ingredients (CosIng), cannabigerol is listed with the function "skin conditioning", and cannabidiol has entries for synthetic CBD and CBD derived from cannabis extract. CosIng is a reference list, not law. As food ingredients, the EU Novel Food Catalogue treats hemp extracts with non-psychoactive cannabinoids, including CBG, as novel foods that need authorisation. National rules differ; see our guides to CBD law in Germany and France.
Frequently asked questions
Is CBG better than CBD?
Neither has been shown to be better. CBD has been studied in many more people, while CBG has only a few small human studies. In lab studies the two act on different receptors, but no human trial has shown a practical advantage for either.
Does CBG get you high?
No. CBG is non-intoxicating, and a 2024 placebo-controlled trial with a single 20 mg dose found no evidence of subjective drug effects or impairment. The cannabinoid that causes a high is THC.
Is CBG hard on the liver?
There are no human data on CBG and the liver. Animal results are mixed: in mice, a low dose reduced markers of liver damage, while a high dose increased it. CBD can raise liver enzymes at high oral doses, so people with liver conditions should ask a doctor first.
Can CBG help with pain?
CBG has been studied for pain only in animals so far, for example in mice with nerve pain caused by chemotherapy. There are no human trials, so it is not known whether the results apply to people.
Will CBG show up on a drug test?
Standard drug tests look for THC or its breakdown product, not for CBG. A positive result would come from THC in the product, so check the certificate of analysis. Full-spectrum oils contain traces of THC; THC-free oils should show none detectable.
Can CBD and CBG be in the same product?
Yes. Hemp extracts can contain CBG alongside CBD, and some oils add more CBG. The certificate of analysis shows how much of each cannabinoid was measured in a batch.
Related guides
This article summarises published research. It is not medical advice. Formula Swiss CBD oils are sold as cosmetics for use on the skin. They are not food supplements or medicines and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed:
Sources
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